THE POINTER. 131 



long course of severe training ; and it is a curious fact, that 

 by a succession of generations having been constantly edu- 

 cated to this purpose, it has become almost innate, and young 

 dogs of the true breed point with scarcely any instruction : 

 this habit is so firm in some that the late Mr. Gilpin is 

 reported to have painted a brace of pointers while in the 

 act, and that they stood an hour and a quarter without 

 moving." A smooth dog, resembling the fox-hound in his 

 markings, though sometimes entirely black, the pointer is used 

 by sportsmen to point them to the spot where the game is 

 to be found. "It ranges the fields," says Mr. Wood, "until 

 it scents the hare or partridge lying close on the ground. 

 It then remains still as if carved in stone, every limb fixed, 

 and the tail pointing straight behind it. In this attitude it 

 remains until the gun is discharged, reloaded, and the sports- 

 man has reached the place where the bird sprang." 

 The Pointer as The pointer is a keen sportsman and will 

 a Sportsman, "point" without tiring while worthily supported 

 by the gun, but many stories are told of his disgust at a bad 

 shot and his refusal to "point" for unskilful sportsmen. The 

 following amusing story is told by Captain Brown and is 

 quoted as follows by Mr. Jesse : " A gentleman, on his 

 requesting the loan of a pointer-dog from a friend, was 

 informed by him that the dog would behave very well so 

 long as he could kill his birds ; but if he frequently missed 

 them, it would run home and leave him. The dog was sent, 

 and the following day was fixed for trial; but, unfortunately, 

 his new master was a remarkably bad shot. Bird after bird 

 rose and was fired at, but still pursued its flight untouched, 

 till, at last, the pointer became careless, and often missed 

 his game. As if seemingly willing, however, to give one 

 chance more, he made a dead stop at a fern-bush, with his 

 nose pointed downward, the fore-foot bent, and his tail straight 

 and steady. In this position he remained firm till the sports- 

 man was close to him, with both barrels cocked, then mov- 



